PTSD Awareness Month

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a very serious condition that affects many people each and every day. While most victims of this condition are veterans, those who have experienced a severely negative situation in their lives can also experience PTSD. June has been designated as PTSD awareness month with the goal of helping to support those who suffer from it. Multiple organizations are raising money, spreading knowledge and creating campaigns designed to help others start having conversations about PTSD and understanding the impact that it really has on veterans.

PTSD History

It is estimated that one veteran is lost every 65 minutes to PTSD. (Source: PR. Newswire) Recently it has been estimated that over 20% (1 in 5) of veterans who come back from Afghanistan have been diagnosed with PTSD, and that this epidemic is continuing to grow. (Source: PR.Newswire)

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder can occur when a person experiences a traumatic event. Usually when someone goes through something disturbing, they will have painful memories, thoughts and feelings about it afterwards. PTSD occurs when those memories, thoughts and feelings refuse to go away, and the person is haunted by them. (Source: PTSD.VA.GOV) When a person is going through PTSD, sometimes the symptoms can be prominent and affect everyday life and relationships. A person who has PTSD should try to get help and support to better work out the issues.

Raise Awareness!

It is more important than ever for people to join the cause and raise awareness on PTSD. “Greater understanding and awareness of PTSD will help Veterans and others recognize symptoms and seek and obtain needed care.” – Dr. Paula P. Schnurr, Executive Director of the National Center for PTSD. (Source: PTSD.VA.GOV)) This is the primary reason why organizations like the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs are joining with advocates and other organizations to spread the word, support and knowledge of PTSD during the month of June!

“We not only want to stop the stigma about PTSD, but also instill a sense of pride in those struggling, as we believe that those veterans should be treated with the utmost respect. Finding the right mentors and tools to help change their lives is paramount,” – David Maulsby, Executive Director/PTSD Foundation of America. (Source: PR.Newswire)

The Department of Veterans Affairs also works to fight PTSD by providing effective treatment and research (including the prevention of stress disorders) for Veterans everywhere. Their campaigns also raise money to aid in supporting Veterans, their families and anyone else who may have experienced trauma. (Source: PTSD.VA.GOV) On top of that, they also offer a PTSD newsletter and other resources that advocates can use to learn and spread knowledge to others.

PTSD is something that many people must live and fight with every day. Raising awareness on the situation helps to support and remove the stigma to those who suffer from PTSD, while enabling others to recognize the symptoms and further support the cause. Advocating for PTSD does not have to be difficult, it can be as simple as sharing this article, or having an informational conversation with someone about PTSD. Help raise awareness about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder today.